Sofa-bed.



n. P. DYKB.

SOFA BED.

APPLICATION FILED APR.6,1914.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

9 Q MA Q M'fnesses:

HE NORRIS PETERS Co.. PHOTO-LITHOY. WASHiNn mm D c rr srarns rAnNr nFFioE.

DARRELL FRANK DYKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO IULLMAN COUCH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA'TIQN OF ILLINOIS.

SOFA-BED.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DARRELL FRANK DYKE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county unfold to form a bed, and more particularly to sofa beds in which means are provided for securing part of the sections in spaced folded relation while being tunfoldedfv or folded with respect to the remaining section or sections.

Beds of this character have been made in different ways, usually with the bed portion pivoted directly to the front of the sofa frame, or carried by a rotatably mounted hollow seat frame having a seat member for the sofa formed directly upon or carried by one side, and having the bed portion pivotally connected to and carried by the reverse side, the bed in either case being extensible transversely of the sofa and being foldable one section over another in the same direction for storage under the seat member when the bed is not in use.

The mainobjects of this invention are to provide an improved form of fastening means adapted for securing part of the sections in folded relation during the folding and unfolding of the remaining sections; to provide an improved form and arrangement of fastening means carried by a pair of sections and adapted for automatic operati on by the relative turning movement of said sections, to secure and release another section in its folded position in folding and unfolding the bed respectively; to provide independently movable complementary means on the foot section and an intermediate section respectively adapted for automatic me chanical control to inter-lock to secure the foot section is spaced folded position; and to provide manual means operatable independently of the folding operation for throwing said complementary means into partial engagement intermediately of successive steps in the folding operation. I

An illustrative embodiment of this in- Specification of Letters Patent:

Application filed April 6, 1914. Serial No. 829,887.

Patented Feb. 9,

vention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in wliich Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sofa bed with the bed sections unfolded and with the near end of the sofa frame removed to snow the details of the seat member and operating means associated therewith. I Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bed in its folded position and with the seat frame ready for turning to its normal sofa position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the foot and middle sections of the bed illustrating the first stage of the unfolding operation with the foot sec tionlocked' in spaced folded relation upon the middle section and disposed in an upright position. Fig. 4c is a side view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the next stage of unfolding, the'middle section being in its bed position with the foot section folded thereon, and the locking plunger being retracted. Fig. 5 is a broken plan View ofa portion of the bed bottom extended and showsthe relative position of the leg folding and section locking members on one side of the bed. Fig. 6 is an enlargedbroken side view ofthe latch and control means and the coacting end of the plunger, in the position shown in Fig. 4, the leg and leg folding means being omitted.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the sofa bed comprises the usual hous ing or frame 1 having ends 2 and back 3 1n combinatlon with a rotary seat frame 4 operatively mounted between and supported by the ends 2. This seat frame on one side is adapted to serve as a seat 5, and the reverse side is formed as a hollow frame adapted and arranged to support the bed sections pivotally attached thereto for un-.

folding when the seat frame f is turned to its inverted position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The connection of the seat frame 4 to the sofa frame 1 may comprise any of the means well known in the art, as plates 6.

and 7 secured to the sofa ends 2 and seat] frame 4. respectively and having pivotal relation.

The bed bottom 12 comprises three long sections 14, 15 and 16 and two short connecting sections 17 and 18 hinged together end to end in alternate position and adapted to be folded together upon the under side of and Within the seat frame 4, with the long sections lying substantially horizontal and with the short sections disposed vertically. I

Bedsupporting brackets 19 are secured to the ends of the seat frame 4 adjacent to that edge ofthe seat frame which is in front The outer and. upper ends of these brackets are formed.

when in the bed position.

and adapted, asjat 20, to receive the pivot members 21 carried by the side rails of the short section 17 intermediate of their ends. Section 17 thus mounted is adapted to swing from avertical storage position to a horizontal bed position. The head section 14 and the middle section 15 are hinged to the section 17 at opposite ends thereof, lower and upper respectively when folded. a

The head section 14 is raised and lowered in horizontal position within the seat frame with the shifting of section 17 to and from its horizontal position respectively, by

means of plates 22 located rearwardly of the brackets 19 and adjacent to the ends of the seat frame 4. Each plate 22 is formed with a rearwardly inclined forward surface 23 on which slide the studs or shoulders 24 secured to section 14, each of which surfaces 23 terminates at its upper end in a horizontal surface 25 on which the studs 24 rest when the section 14 is shifted to its elevated or bed position, and at its lower end terminates in a socket 26 which coacts with its respective stud 24 for securing section 14in its lowered position.

Sections 16 and 18 are adapted to be folded with section'l5 upon the seat frame'with section 16between sections 14 and 15. The head and middle sections may be of substantially the same length, but the foot section 16 is somewhat shorter so that it may be folded between the'longer sections, the difference in length being substantially equal to the thickness of the mattress and usual bedding (not shown). The short sections 17 and 18 are also of different lengths, the difi'erence'being a little more than the thickness of the mattress and bedding. A locking bar 28 is carried by the frame 4 for securing the sections in complete folded reiation.

The outwardly disposed sections 16 and 18 are supported in their bed position by means of foldable legs 29' and 30 pivoted at 31 and 32 to the outer ends of sections 15 and 16 respectively. These legs are controlled automatically by means of links 33' and 34 pivoted to the upper ends of the legs and next rearwardly adjacent short sections 17 and 18 respectively. Section 18 is braced by a rod 35 connected at its ends to medial portions of the sides as at 36, said rod being U-shaped and'having pivotal. connection, whereby the U-portion may be swung parallel with the bed section when the bottom is folded anddownward away from the bottom when it is unfolded. Improved means are provided for securing the foot section 16 in folded relation upon the middle section 15, said means being complementaryin character and compris mg a member carried upon and operatable .mainly by the movement of the foot section,

and to a relatively small but effective extent by manual means, in combination with 41 being rounded or beveled and having on opposite edges a shoulder 43, and a transverse notch or slot 4-1. A link 46 is pivoted at one end to the medial portion of said latch, as at 47, preferably adjacent to its supporting pivot 39 and at its opposite end is attached to the adjacent section 18 at a medial point as at 50, between section 16 and the pivoted end36 of the U-bar 35 and near the latter, by which'means the latch is caused to move nearly to a horizontal or retracted. position when the foot section is turned to its bed position and to a perpendicular position respecting the foot section when the latter is raised for folding'upon the middle section. I

In order to provide for a'definite partial oscillatory movement of latch 37 when the foot section has been folded upon the middle section the connection of link 46 to section 18 at 50 is adapted to permit of limited longitudinal movement of said link. For this purpose the end of link 46 is provided with a short longitudinal slot 5:2 adapted to coact slidably with a stud fixed on the side of section 18 as shown at 50.

The link 46 is provided with or carriesa laterally projecting and endwardly facing shoulder 54 adjacent to the connection 50 and adapted, when the sections are folded,

to abut against and coact with the pivot the opposite side of the bar 35 from the bowed middle portion so that when the latter part is swung to lie in a plane with its supporting section 18. the cam portion 56 will be in its inactive position as shown in i Fig. 6, illustrating the position of the severaliparts when the foot section is folded upon the middle section and with bar 35 held by gravity in the position shown. By

grasping the middle portion of bar 35 and swinging it outwardly to a horizontal position, the cam 56 will force the shoulder 54 backward and thereby cause link 46 to throw latch 37 backward somewhat and into partial engagement with the plunger 38, as shown by dotted lines in F igbo.

The lower coacting'edges of the notch 14: and plunger 38 are inclined, or beveled somewhat so that when the bar 35 and cam .56 are restored to the position shown in Fig. 6 the said" partial engagement may be released simply by lifting the foot section, the latch being restored by reaction against the plunger 38 due to their inclined surfaces of contact. 1 The plunger 38 at its forwarder active end is carried slidably by sectionlo preferably upon a side thereof and in nearly parallel position and at its opposite end is pivoted to a medial portion of section 17, said plunger being movable longitudinally for engaging said latch 38 at notch as when section 15 is raised for folding with respect to section 17.. Said plunger, adjacent to but somewhat back from its latch engaging end 52, is provided with a longitudinal guide slot '58 adapted to receive a pivot stud or shoulder 59 fixed on the side rail of sec-.

ticn 15 so that when the section 15 is raised and folded with respect to section 17 the plunger is moved forward.

The downward movement of the foot secticn when the latter is folded upon the middle section is arrested at a definitepoint by suitable means, preferably a shoulder 60 on the side of the section 15 adapted to receive the shoulder 43 of latch 37. The shouder 60 also serves to guide the latch into place by sliding contact with the beveled end of the latch. I

In folding the bed the expansive force of the mattressand bedding (not shown) usually necessitates holding the foot section folded down forcibly upon'the middle sec tion while the latter is being raised for folding upon the head section. By this inven tion the foot section may be locked temporarily by swinging out the cam bar 35, which may be restored to its retracted position as shown in Fig. 2, as the foot and mid dle sections fold over upon the head section,

and the plunger 38 becomes effective by advancing into notch 44. p

The operation for unfolding the bed is as follows: The seat frame is inverted from its sofa position and the bed sections are then unfolded to the position shown in Fig. 3, themiddle and foot sections being held in folded relation by the enacting latch and plunger and the bar 35 being inits retracted position as shown in Figs. Qand 4c. -When,

the sections are further unfolded as to the position shown in Fig. 4, the plunger is thereby withdrawn from engagement with the latch except possibly a slight engagement due to the latch being swung to its dotted position shown in Fig. 6, in which case, so long as bar 35 is retracted, the latch will be released by the upward lift on the foot section in turning it to its bed position- The latch is retracted to the position shown in Fig. 1 when the foot section is lowered to its horizontal position.

The folding operation is as follows: First the foctfsection is raised, thereby causing the latch 36 to swing outward so that when a: said section swings over and down upon the middle section the shoulder on the latch will come to rest upon the stop 60. Then the U-portion of the cam bar 35 is grasped and swung outward, thereby throwinglatch 37 into partial engagement with plunger 38; If the expansive force of the bedding is sufiicient to interfere materially, the foot section may be held down with one hand which, as the sections swing down into place, will be swung to its retracted position'. Upon completlng the folding operalllOl'l'lJY thus swinging the outer folded sections down upon the head section they are locked in the manner provided, and the seat frame 18 then rotated to its normal sofa position.

Although but one specific embodiment of i this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention asdefined by the following claims.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described, a plurality of foldably related bed sections, in

combination with a latch pivoted to one of said sections, control means connecting said latch to an adjoining section and operatable by folding said adjoining sections, manual means adapted for definite limited control of said latch when said adjoining sections are folded, and means operatably connected to another section and movable by folding that section with respect to still another sectirn for engaging with said latch.

'2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of foldably related bed sections, in combination with complementary fastening means adapted to interlock 'andcarried by j and a 'manually operatable U-shaped bar non-adjacent sections, manually operatable means adapted, when the section carrying one of said Complementary means is folded, for throwing said complementary means into'pa'rtia-l engagement, said complemen-' tary means being adapted and arranged to enter into full engagement by further, folding of the sections. I

A foldable bed bottom, comprising a series of alteinate long and short sections pivoted at its ends to the side rails of .a shcrt n edia'l section adjoining the foot SQC'.

tion, in combinationvwith a foldable latch pivoted to the foot section, a controlling link connecting saidrlatch and short section,

the connectitn at the section end comprising a coacting shoulder andvslot adapted for limited longitudinal movement of the link, said link furthermore'being shouldered adjacent to its said section end and saidibar being cam-shaped adjacentto'said link and adapted 'to ccact with a linkshoulder, whereby the latch may be oscillated manually to a limited extent independentlyof' section folding, and complementary fasten- 1ng means on the 0ppos1tely ad acent section adapted for engagement by said latch when:

the foot secticn is in folded position with respect tosaid oppositely adjacent section.

4a A plurality of foldably related bed sections, in combination with complementary fastening means carried by different sections and operatable successivelyto engage each ether by the folding of said sections, each with respect to thenext' adjacent section, one of said fastening means being loosely mounted and movable to a small 6X? tent independently of the movement of said sections, whereby said fastening means are' engageable initially to. a small extent when the first sectionis in its folded'position, and

manual means on one of said sections arranged to move said loosely mounted means into such initial engagement, one of said fastening means being movable for engagement to a greater extent by a further folding of said sections. a

5. A bed bottom, comprising a series of foldably related sections, incombination with fastening means comprising alatch I pivoted to one of the sections and a link 013? short sections, a latch pivrtedto another long sectionspaced' from said pair by a shortsection, latch turning means operat vely connecting said spacing section and bottom, comprising a latch, manual means for throwing said latch into partial engagement with the plunger when the" latch and link carrying sections and adjacent long plunger supportinglsec tionare in mutually folded position, and said plunger being movable into full -engagement with said latch when said folded sections are further folded with respect to theshort plunger supporting section.

'7. In a device of the class described, aiplural'ity of foldably related bed sections, in a combinatirn with a plunger slidably connected adjacent torone of its ends to one of the sections,'the other end of said plunger being operatively connected forlcentrol by the fclding movement of said section and an adjacent section, and a latch pivoted to an oppositely d sposed third sectionand having manually adjustable link connection to an intermediate section,said latch being movable automatically, by section folding, to a position adapted for engagement by said plunger and also being independently movable by said'manual adjustment to a small definite extent for slightly engaging the plunger before the latter is moved into fullengagement with the latch.

8. A bed bottom, comprising a plurality of foldably related bed sections,in combination with a latch piv ted to'thefoat section, a link having one end pivoted to the latch and its opposite. end operatively-connected to theneXt adjacent section by means of a joint comprising a coacting shoulder and slot adapted to permit limited longitudinal movement of the link, and a cam member carried by said adjacent section. said link,

having ashonlder adapted to coa'ct with said cam member when said sections are folded-said cam being operatable manually whereby the latch may be controlled to a operation. substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. A bed bottom comprising a'plurality of foldably related bed'sections, in combination with a latch pivoted to the foot section, a link having. one end pivoted to the latch and its'opposite end operatively connected to the next adjacent section by means of a joint comprising a coacting shoulder and slot adapted to permit-limited longitudinal limited extent independently of the folding i movement ofthe link, and a cam member carried by said adjacent section, said link I having a shoulder adapted to coact with said cam member when said sections are folded,

said cam being operatable manually whereby the latch may be controlled to a limited eX- tent independently of the folding operation, in combination with a plunger carried by a third section and operatahle' by folding its carrying section upon a'fourth section to engage said latch in folding the bed bottom.

10. In a device of the class described, a plurality-5 of foldably related bed sections,

one of which is provided with a lateral guide shoulder and a plunger spaced apart from said shoulder and carried mainly by said section, the foot section having a beveled and shouldered member adapted and arranged to project downwardly between said shoulder and plunger and to rest upon said shoulder when said sections arefolded together, said projecting member being formed and adapted to be engaged by the forward end of said plunger, and said plunger having its opposite end projecting backward and connected pivo'tally to an oppositely adjacent section adapted and arranged for advancing said plunger into engagement with said beveled projecting member when said shoulder bearing section and foot section are folded upon said oppositely adjacent section.

11. In a device of the classidescribed, a

plurality of foldably related bed sections, in combination with a latch pivoted to the foot section, said latch being adapted and arranged to swing upwardlv and toward the foot to its operative position and having a notch in its outer edge, a plunger having one end slidably mounted for longitudinal movement ona medial section and having its opposite end pivoted to an oppositely adjacent section, and means operatable by folding the foot section for throwing the latch into its operative position and said plunger'being movable into engagement with said notch by folding said medial section with respect to said oppositely adjacent section.

12. In a device of the class described, a plurality of bed sections adapted to fold together, in combination with a latch carried by an end section, means operatively connecting the next adjacent section and said latch adapted and arranged for moving the latter to its retracted and effective pro- "ectin ositions when said ad'acent seetions are folded and unfolded respectively, and a locking plunger having, its active end carried by a medial third section and movable longitudinally thereof by the turning movement of said third section upon a fourth section oppositely adjacent thereto for engaging and releasing said latch in folding and unfoldingthe lied respectively, the opposite end of said plunger being pivoted to said fourth section.

13. A plurality of foldably related bed sections, in combination with a locking plunger disposed beside and movable longitudinally of a medially disposed section, the

operative end of said plunger being carried section on one side of said medial section, and a pivotedlatch carried by a third section disposed at the opposite side and oscillatable by folding and unfolding its supporting section, said latch being formed and adapted for interlocking engagement with said plunger when swung outward to secure said third section in folded relation with said medialsection, one of the interlocking I members being independently movable manually to a small extent for partially engaging said latch and plunger when said third section is in folded position but previous to the folding which throws the plunger and latch into full engagement.

Signed at Chicago this 3rd day of April,

1914:. i DARRELL FRANK DYKE.

Witnesses: V

WENDELIN P. SENG, WILLIAM E. HANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the 1 Commissioner of latents,

, Washington, D. G. 

